All the Gear to Bring for a Day at the Beach: Checklist and Choices

Sand Cloud helped popularize Turkish cotton starting in 2015 by making towels featuring fun, chic boho designs. The brand has since exploded onto the beach scene with hundreds of prints, designs, and sizes to meet every need and style preference. No stranger to the Turkish cotton scene, this San Diego-based company has brought this material to the forefront via sand resistance as their key selling point and, now, towel designs of the decade.

Sand Cloud’s Turkish Towel ($48) captured the best Turkish towel recognition because it is slightly more plush than Slowtide’s Turkish beach towel. At 240-250 GSM, these towels are made from 100% Organic Turkish cotton and absorb water well but are also very quick-drying and highly sand-resistant. While testing at the popular southern California beach of Trestles on a hot summer day, its small packed size and lightweight made it easy to transport on a one-mile walk to and from the beach. A quick shake dislodged virtually all of the sand, helping to leave it at the beach where it belongs. It also lived in the trunk of a car for multiple days without accumulating a stench despite withstanding soaked wetsuits, salt water, and sweaty bodies.

While Sand Cloud’s Turkish Towels are impressively lightweight and pack down nice and small for travel, they are also quite thin. As such, they don’t provide as much warmth as a Terry cotton towel, nor do they offer much in the way of cushioning. It’s great on soft, sandy beaches, but you’ll notice pebbles and shells underneath much more than a thicker, plusher towel.

Sand Cloud is big on collaborations, bringing so many different towel designs to market that you might be overwhelmed by the number of options. From Discovery Channel’s Shark Week to Disney and Looney Toons, many brands have gotten on board to ride the Turkish beach towel wave while contributing to marine conservation. If collecting designs is your thing, be warned: you can quickly become addicted to collecting their towels if style and Turkish cotton are your ideal beach towel combination. It is truly hard to resist a towel with a whale shark, manta ray, or sea turtle to claim a sandy spot by the shore.

And if feel-good vibes are your bag, every time you purchase a Sand Cloud towel or any Sand Cloud product, 10% of all profits are donated toward marine conservation organizations.

If sheer sand resistance is the goal, try Eccosophy’s Eco-Friendly Towel ($34). Colorful and lightweight, it is incredibly easy to stow in your pack, bright enough to be seen from a distance, and repels sand and dirt better than most sand-resistant towels we’ve tried.

Tested on Southern California beaches, this towel is ideal for warmer, sunnier weather if you’re looking to keep sand out of your bag. Made from microfiber sourced from post-consumer plastic waste, it isn’t as plush as cotton, but it doesn’t provide much for sand to cling to, packs down small, and is easily portable. But if you need to stay warm, you might consider a different product because this towel works best to dry you off and repel sand to keep it out of your car and home.

Our tester used this towel to change out of a wet wetsuit, which involved very sandy, wet feet standing on top of it. The fun didn’t stop there — she dried her salty hair and then stuffed it at the bottom of her surf backpack to catch any extra water from the wetsuit while walking the half-mile trail back to the car. It then sat in the car for a few days, and miraculously, there was no gross wet towel smell! Incredible. Notorious for their cars carrying a damp towel stench, surfers’ towels, and wetsuits often perma-stink a car if not immediately removed. Not so with the Eccosophy Eco-Friendly Towel.

Additionally, the microfiber material dries very fast, whether it’s lying on the beach in the sun or hanging on a line at home. A convenient drying loop makes it easy to hang next to your outdoor shower or by the rinse station at the beach. The Eco-Friendly Towel also comes in a variety of vibrantly colored prints, including the Amalfi we tested, so you can choose the option that suits you best.

The beachBub All-In-One ($160) is a heavy-duty umbrella that is built to withstand windy beach days. It is specially designed for high winds — up to 44 mph — so you do not have to worry about it ripping or blowing away. It’s made with quality materials and has a user-friendly design, so you can spend more time relaxing at the beach and less time worrying about your umbrella.

The key to the beachBUB All-In-One system is the ULTRA Base — a sand anchor sack at the base of the pole that you fill with up to 125 pounds of sand. This does require a sandy beach to set it up, but it basically ensures that it stays upright the whole day. Other than filling the base with sand, this umbrella is otherwise very easy to set up.

Since it is a classically designed umbrella, the setup and instructions are straightforward, and you won’t have to spend ages trying to figure anything out. The main task is stuffing the bottom with enough sand to keep it in the ground.

Even though the beachBUB umbrella is incredibly sturdy and durably made, it is also easily portable. It comes with a handy carrying case with a padded strap that you can easily sling over your shoulder on your walk to the beach. Since the umbrella is so sturdy, it is a bit heavier than similar options — but it still only weighs around 9 pounds.

Even though it’s portable when put back in its carrying case, it’s a little bulkier overall at 48 inches long, and the weight is comparatively noticeable. It’s absolutely fine to carry for short distances, but we wouldn’t want to carry it for miles to that hike-in beach spot. 

At 7.5 feet wide, this umbrella casts a good amount of shade that’s easily enough for two to three people. The commercial grade PA coated fabric is not only super durable, but it’s UPF 50+ rated for sun protection.

The primary drawback is that those who like to tilt their umbrella at certain angles don’t have the option to do that. With the beachBUB, you’ll need to move yourself to stay in the optimal shade position. Also, if you are not in a setting where there is ample sand, then this model will not work very well.

Still, the beachBUB All-In-One Beach Umbrella is our favorite of the umbrellas we tested. The durable materials, large shade area, and wind resistance make it worth the higher price tag. Whether it’s blustery or not, it’s a great, sturdy option for trips to sandy beaches.

The OutdoorMaster Beach Umbrella ($70) is a thoughtfully designed umbrella for a long day spent at the beach. It has pretty much everything you could want from an umbrella, including plenty of shade, several cupholders, and a place to put your phone. Like some similar models, the umbrella has a sandbag at the bottom that you can fill with up to 44 pounds of sand to keep it from blowing it away.

Setting up the Outdoor Master Umbrella is quite easy. After you bury the base of the pole in the sand, you fill the sandbag base with as much sand as you can — up to 44 pounds. The cupholder platform folds out, and you attach the umbrella above. The cup holders are a nice touch to keep your drinks out of the sand, and you can stash other items like sunglasses, phones, and sunscreen on the platform, too.

The 6.5-foot wide umbrella provides a good amount of shade, best for two to three people max. The tilt angle of the umbrella can also be adjusted so you can position it accordingly as the sun moves throughout the day. Not only is the head of the umbrella adjustable, but the whole thing can be used in a number of different settings. It is ideal for a beach day but can also be stuck in the middle of your patio table or a stand by the pool.

The OutdoorMaster Beach Umbrella’s main limitation is that it only provides enough shade for two to three people. If you’re going to the beach with your whole family or a large group of friends, we recommend a canopy tent or a more oversized umbrella. Additionally, it doesn’t feel quite as stable in the wind or as durable as the beachBUB All-In-One described above. While functional and less expensive, it simply doesn’t feel quite as well-made.

Lastly, the carrying strap is a bit uncomfortable. Other options we tested are more convenient to carry. Regardless, the OutdoorMaster Beach Umbrella is affordable and functional. It’s best for those who do not want to overspend on beach gear but still want to have a nice shady spot to relax in for the summer.

The Neso Party Tent ($350) topped our list for its innovative design, ease of use, and remarkable versatility. Based out of Encinitas, Calif., Neso takes an innovative approach to an old-school concept, designing canopy tents that are incredibly easy to set up, shockingly portable, highly versatile, and stylish.

The Party Tent comes with a backpack-style carrying case, making transportation a breeze. At around 28.5 pounds, it’s also impressively lightweight for the amount of coverage it provides. At 11 x 22 feet, it is also the largest of all the canopies we tested, providing more than double the shade of a traditional 10 x 10-foot pop-up.

You can use the included sandbags or ground screws as anchors to set up on surfaces from the beach to the backyard. To erect, lay the canopy out on the ground and extend the six anchor straps. Then fill the sandbags or screw in the ground screws, and attach the included carabiner to the anchor. The six posts snap into place easily and are positioned two feet from the corners and side anchors.

The nylon/Lycra canopy material is stretchy, making it easy to prop up from underneath. As you go, you can adjust the anchor tension with the daisy chains on the straps, meaning your initial anchor placements don’t have to be perfect. The canopy is water-resistant and has a UPF 50+ sun protection rating.

On a rainy day, the tent shed water well, but after a few hours, the canopy began collecting water due to its stretch. It was easy to push off to the side, and the canopy did not leak. Because of the unique material, it was silent in the wind and didn’t budge in gusts. When it gets really windy, there’s no frame to break, and it won’t go flying away and crashing down the way traditional pop-ups can.

For its size, we feel the Neso Party Tent is fairly priced, easy to transport and set up, and if you’re on the beach with other traditional pop-up tents in view, you’ll be sure to incite some jealousy. This tent could be utilized at a family campsite, for events, or even as a semi-permanent backyard canopy. Overall, we think Neso designed the best canopy tent we tested with the Party Tent.

The Crown Shades 10 x 10 Pop-up Canopy ($150) is about as traditional as a pop-up tent can get. It provides sun and rain protection for setting up a table for an event or market, and its ease of use makes it one of the best affordable pop-up options on the market.

Four corners spread easily, and after draping the canopy over the top and securing the corners with Velcro, the apex seamlessly presses into place from below. Four included sandbags strap to the posts, and you’re done! The legs extend to three height positions, with the lower edge of the canopy reaching up to 6 feet 2 inches, providing ample headroom inside.

The vented apex provides ample airflow for comfort and helps prevent the canopy from being swept upward by the wind. It did scoot around a bit on a windy day before we weighed it down, but that’s typical of this style of canopy. It also comes with guy lines and stakes to pin it down even further.

At 37 pounds, it isn’t the lightest canopy around, but it’s a reasonable weight for the pop-up style. It weighs about 20 pounds less than the Eurmax described below, so it’s a bit easier to handle during transport. It also comes with a cover bag to keep it tidy and has wheels so you can roll it across firm surfaces.

It also comes in a wide array of canopy color and pattern options, so you can choose what best suits your style or needs. Our biggest concern with the Crown Shades 10 x 10 is that it just doesn’t feel quite as robust as some heavier-duty models, which could impact its durability. Still, at $141, it’s a great deal.

The Crown Shades 10 x 10 Pop-up Canopy is a simple and relatively sturdy option for farmers’ markets, craft fairs, or other events where you’d like to set up and tear down quickly. With the sandbags, you could even leave it up on a porch for seasonal shade. If simplicity and affordability are on your list of priorities, this pop-up canopy is a great choice.

The Tommy Bahama Backpack Beach Chair ($84) is what many of us think of when we picture lounging on the beach. It’s a reliable classic, and for good reason. This chair has many enticing features, including an adjustable pillow, padded shoulder straps, a rubber carry handle, an insulated storage pouch, a cellphone holder, a cupholder, and a folding towel bar. It truly is the perfect chair to unfold by the water and start relaxing.

This chair is super lightweight, making it easy to transport using its built-in backpack straps — even if you have a long walk to the beach. With the integrated insulated pouch, you can pack snacks, drinks, and pretty much everything else you need for a casual day at the beach without the need to carry an additional bag. The phone and drink holder also keep both close at hand and out of the sand while you’re taking in the view.

On top of that, it’s simple to unfold and refold and can adjust to five reclining positions, including lying flat. The low seat height gives it a very relaxing position to stretch out your legs. This makes it ideal for reading, napping, or just taking in the views. The low height also makes it easy to sit beneath shorter umbrellas and shade canopies when you want to stay out of the sun.

If you know you’ll be carrying a backpack filled with other beach necessities, the Tommy Bahama Backpack Beach Chair might be overkill since its extra features add some weight and bulk. For those who need a footrest or a full-length chair that supports their legs, this model may not suit you. Additionally, we found it a little fiddly to get it to recline to the flattest position.

Regardless, the Tommy Bahama Backpack Beach Chair is a timeless classic that we feel will meet the needs of most beachgoers. It’s light, easy to carry, folds down flat for transport, and has all the features we look for in a beach chair.

In addition to having a truly unforgettable name, the Chillbo Shwaggins Inflatable Couch ($39) is a super-comfortable alternative to a regular old beach chair. After a few minutes of inflation, the Chillbo can seat several people and provides the perfect place to relax. It’s meant for camping, going to the beach, or any outdoor space you like to unplug in. We could even see ourselves enjoying midday naps on it in the backyard when working from home.

One of the first things that stands out about the Chillbo Shwaggins is its weight — just 2.3 pounds — and small packed size. It’s even more impressive when you consider that it can seat several people or that you can completely lie down on it. It comes with a storage bag with a shoulder strap, so you can easily carry it anywhere. This makes it a no-brainer to bring with you, no matter how far you need to walk to your favorite beach spot.

Since it’s a full body length, it’s amazing to fully recline in and fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves. It sort of feels like you’re sitting on a blown-up cloud, and it’s great for anyone trying to soak up some extra sun at the beach. Another perk is the fact that you can lounge in it with several people if you’re on an outdoor excursion with the family or a group of friends.

The primary drawback of the Inflatable Couch is that it can be difficult to inflate at first. We went back to reread the instructions to make sure we were doing it right, and even then, it felt a bit silly running back and forth, trying to get the couch to inflate.

Inflating this couch could be somewhat problematic for someone with limited mobility. We felt that ours wasn’t completely airtight, either. After a while, the couch starts to deflate, and you may need to add more air.

Overall, the Chillbo Shwaggins Inflatable Couch is best for people who love to lie down fully or need seating for several people. It’s super light and easily portable, and it’s also very affordable at just $39. Plus, it’s available in a huge range of fun patterns to match your style.

The Timber Ridge Double Decker Wagon ($170) is a beast of a beach wagon. As the name suggests, the Timber Ridge has a double-decker design, meaning it has a top compartment for storing gear as well as a large bottom shelf. Translation? Lots of storage space for gear and an easy solution to keeping it more organized than more standard wagons offer. 

The Double Decker Wagon requires no assembly, so it’s ready to hit the beach as soon as you receive it. The all-terrain 7.5” diameter wheels are wide and capable of handling sand, rocks, dirt, and chunky broken-down coral (we’re speaking from experience on this one). The wheels also have a locking feature, which was helpful once we reached our destination to ensure the cart didn’t roll away on uneven surfaces. 

Since the Timber Ridge wagon has two storage levels, it’s nice that it can support more weight than most of the other wagons we tested. Each level is claimed to be able to hold up to 225 pounds for a total of 450 pounds. Will anyone ever meet that weight capacity? Probably not, but that also means that it’s burly enough to handle it. The lower level is ideal for bulkier items, and should you be transporting something extra-long like an umbrella, shade canopy, or chairs — which we often are — the lower level folds open so your gear has room to stick out. This makes it much easier to haul chairs or shade structures that are otherwise tough to fit in more traditional wagons.

There are also two bottle/drink holders on the outside of the main compartment, as well as a large mesh pocket on one side to organize smaller items. An added benefit of the double-decker design is that it has a taller loading height, which means you don’t have to bend over as far when transferring your gear from the trunk to the wagon and vice versa.

The stainless-steel frame is strong yet light, and our female tester had no trouble lifting the wagon once it was folded up for transport. Despite its impressive carrying capacity, the Double Decker folds down small and includes a strap that wraps around it, as well as a bag to store it in.

Our first time using this beach wagon was for an Easter beach day with friends. Our tester and her husband had their two dogs, a camping stove, a cooler, chairs, umbrellas, towels, beach games, and even a hammock stand. Everything fits nicely into the wagon, cutting down what would have been multiple trips into one. Unfortunately, there’s no place specifically created for children to sit, but our small dog enjoyed going for a ride. 

It’s worth mentioning that the Timber Ridge Wagon might be bigger than some people need. That said, having more carrying capacity is always better than having too little. If you’re looking for a serious gear hauler to simplify your life at the beach or anywhere else, the Double Decker is our top recommendation. And, although the $170 retail price is a little more than most, it seems like it almost always sells for a bit less than that.

The iHomey Collapsible Folding Utility Wagon ($49) is a very affordable, simple, and effective wagon for the beach or use around the house. Weighing 21 pounds, it is relatively light, and its small collapsed size makes it easy to load in and out of the car.

Right out of the box, the iHomey Wagon loses some points for requiring assembly. Getting the wheels attached wasn’t terribly difficult, but it was a bit of a pain compared to other models that arrived completely assembled. On the plus side, the wheels are removable if you want to take them off for storage or transport.

The wide, open storage compartment makes it easy to pack all your gear, and with a claimed weight limit of up to 200 pounds, you don’t have to skimp on what you’re packing. The only downside is that there are no smaller compartments, aside from two water bottle holders, so it can be tricky to stay organized.

The Utility Wagon’s handle is adjustable and has a clip to keep it upright when not in use. However, our clip was broken upon arrival, so we couldn’t use this feature. Since the iHomey wagon isn’t specifically designed for the beach, its wheels are slimmer than most others we tested, but it still has an all-terrain design. They fared well on most surfaces but didn’t work quite as well in thick, soft sand as wider wheels.

Regardless, the iHomey Collapsible Utility Wagon is a very budget-friendly option for anyone seeking a functional wagon for use at the beach, around the house, or in the garden. It’s not fancy, but it gets the job done without breaking the bank; just don’t expect it to last forever.